Australians are the world's second largest consumers of textiles, buying on average 27 kilograms of new clothing and other textiles each year. So what is the environmental impact of this obsession?

Annual production forecasts from PCI Fibres found that while Australia sat just behind North America's need for new clothing, the amount of textiles we consumed annually was twice the global average of just 13 kilograms per person per year.

According to sustainability consultant Jane Milburn, two-thirds of the clothes and textiles bought are made of synthetic fibres which are derived from petroleum.

This week Ms Milburn will address the Home Economics Institute of Australia conference in Melbourne focusing on Australia's unhealthy habit of buying new clothes and textiles.

"There's been a transformational shift in the way we source, use and discard our clothing which has major social and environmental implications.

"Fast fashion produced from global supply chains is driving excessive purchasing of affordable new clothing often discarded after a few wears."

Plastic clothes don't decay

While textiles made of natural fibres are biodegradable, the majority of "fast fashion" textiles are made of synthetic fibres.

Ms Milburn said these fibres had been shown to shed thousands of micro plastic particles when washed or disposed of in landfill.